008

SOPHIE

“It's nothing you need to concern yourself with, Hayes." I said, my voice lower than I intended as a wave of dizziness|as swept through my eyes.

“Uhh, you…just…you need a lot of rest. Come on. I'll take you home." Before I could refute, his hands were on my waist, lifting me off the bed.

I clenched my teeth together, no strength left in me to fight him.

I needed to start getting things in order.

I couldn't just argue with him at all times.

I needed that divorce.

~

“Good morning, Miss. Do you have an appointment?" My heels clinked through the tiled floors as I flashed a practiced perfect smile to the secretary right in front of Hayes office door.

"Yes. Your boss is expecting me.” She nodded, raising a finger in a gesture that told me to hold on so she could confirm.

Confirm that it was okay to meet my husband.

What exactly had I been doing all these years that could even make me agree to being a secret and understanding wife?

Everyone knew Hayes Laurent was married but no one in the outside world knew we were married and that, I guess, was the only reason why he could cheat one so brazenly.

I nodded anyway and went to sit in the leather chair outside Hayes’ office, my fingers tightening around the divorce papers resting on my lap.

The air conditioner blasted cold air through the hallway, yet sweat still gathered at the back of my neck.

Maybe it was the illness.

Maybe it was the fact that I was about to walk into my husband's office like a stranger begging for an audience.

My lips curved bitterly.

I lowered my gaze to the file again, staring at the bold letters printed across the front page.

Petition for Dissolution of Marriage.

It still felt surreal.

For years, I had convinced myself that my marriage to Hayes was simply… complicated. Temporary rough patches. Sacrifices. The price of loving someone too ambitious to slow down.

Now I realized I had simply been making excuses for a man that had never truly made space for me in his life.

A soft sigh escaped my lips as I leaned back against the chair carefully.

Honestly, I hadn't even expected the divorce agreement to be drafted this quickly.

Part of me thought the universe itself would delay it. That I'd be trapped in endless consultations, impossible legal fees, months of waiting and reconsideration because he was a Laurent and they weren't to be messed with.

But Cesca had somehow found a lawyer willing to take the case almost immediately.

Not only that, the woman had offered to handle the entire process even if it escalated to court, refusing to charge me a single dollar upfront.

It felt weird…almost suspicious.

At first, I thought it was a pity.

Now, sitting here with the papers in my hands, I wondered if even a complete stranger could see how badly I needed an escape.

“You're here for Mr. Laurent too?” My head lifted at the feminine voice beside me. Another secretary, really?

A tall brunette stood there holding a stack of documents against her chest, her eyes flickering briefly toward Hayes’ office before returning to me knowingly.

I forced a smile.

“Something like that.”

“You'll probably have to wait. Miss Olivia just left his office not too long ago.” My grip tightened around the file.

Of course she did.

The woman didn't notice the shift in my expression.

“Honestly, I don't know how Mr. Laurent manages it. The amount of beautiful women constantly coming in and out of this floor should be illegal.”

A strange numbness settled inside my chest.

At that moment, I wasn't even his wife, just another woman outside his office.

How humiliating.

The brunette eventually excused herself, heels clicking against the marble floors until silence settled around me once more.

Slowly, I opened my handbag and reached for my medication bottle.

My fingers trembled slightly as I stared down at the pills resting in my palm. “Miss Sophie?”

I looked up to find the secretary offering me a polite smile.

“Mr. Laurent will see you now.”

“You can go in." She said after a few minutes and I nodded, shoulders up as I strode to his office.

Pushing the doors open, I flashed him a smile and walked up to his desk.

“You look exceptionally dashing this morning, Hayes. Here you go." I threw the file onto the table and his lips curved up into a smile.

I see exactly why I married him. I really went for looks.

“What is in here?" His eyes beaming with curiosity as he carefully unpacked it.

His pupils dilated as the file from his hands to the table. The smug smile from me complimenting him earlier tore off and his face contorted into that of irritation.

“Sophie, you're pushing it. This joke is getting out of hand." His voice was firm and domineering.

I smiled, pushing my long black wavy hair to the back as I pulled off my sunglasses.

"What is ridiculous is you thinking I'm still joking, Hayes. Please sign it. Don't forget we're in your company, I won't hesitate to make a scene. I promise you.” My voice was dangerously low, my lips still curved up in a smile.

“Sophie, haven't we been fine these few days? What's your sudden obsession with getting a divorce? Is this your way of playing hard to get or seeking my attention because it's work—"

“The last thing I want now is your attention, Hayes!"

“I haven't even blamed you yet for faking poisoning and trying to get Olivia on my elder brother's bad side and now, you're —" It felt like a bombshell had dropped onto my ears.

My vision blurred and the world stilled for a moment.

"Did you just say I faked it?” I asked, my tone getting higher with every word.

"That's not the point, Sophie. I can understand why you did that and that's why—”

" Hayes, how did you land here? At this theory that I would harm myself for you, I would almost take my life for you.” I slowly asked and he swallowed, a fleeting expression of confusion sweeping through his face.

"I looked into it, Sophie. You're my wife and if you were poisoned I wouldn't let it go. And I clearly saw you take some pills prior to our arrival."

“And I was there the whole time, Olivia had no time to even poison you."

I bit down on my lips.

He saw me take some pills? My medications for my illness?

That's right, I hadn't told him about my terminal illness yet.

“Hayes, I'm terminally ill." I suddenly blurted out.

He opened his mouth to speak and swallowed back.

He looked puzzled, like someone that had just hit a dead end.

“What did you just say?" He whispered, his voice almost breathy and I bit down on my lips.

Why was I telling him? I had decided I wouldn't but why? Maybe I had held onto the illusion that if he knew how sick I was he would come around.

But was I wrong to think that?

I had loved this man for over 5 years, I had given him a son and yes, it felt reluctant to let go of that life I had built.

But I was dying too.

And clearly something had to give.

“I'm terminally ill, Hayes. I have Aplastic Anemia and those pills you saw me take were just my medications."

“I'm dying, Hayes."